NFL Daily with Gregg Rosenthal - Week 15 Postponed Game Recaps with, WHO?

Episode Date: December 22, 2021

A room filled with heroes - Dan Hanzus, Marc Sessler and Gregg Rosenthal recap their trip to Sofi stadium to watch the Rams play the Seahawks. The heroes also recap the other games that were moved due to covid (Browns-Raiders, Vikings-Bears and Washington-Philly) with a very special guest. Learn more about your ad-choices at https://www.iheartpodcastnetwork.comNFL Daily YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/nflpodcastsSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

This is an I-Heart podcast. Hey, everybody. Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the 6th, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape, talk to decision makers, and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else.

It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Sticks podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents.

Listen to the NFL Fantasy Football podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. The Around the NFL podcast. Three wise men. Welcome to another edition of the Around the Outer. NFL podcast. I'm Dan Hansis.

He's joined in a virtual room. I'm Los Angeles of Heroes, Mark Sester, Greg Rosenthal. I think, and I'll have to double check the schedule, but I think week 15's over. I mean, I think this is the first ever Tuesday night pod we've ever done. And it's also the first Tuesday double header in the NFL I saw. since 1934. How about that? And of course we have a nice little off day tomorrow from games,

but then we have a game on Thursday, Friday, Saturdays, Sunday, and Monday? Is that all check out? I don't think there's no Friday game. You'll see. Yeah, TBD on that, Greg. Don't be, you know, let. I was thinking about it. We were talking about the NFL slogan and biggest season ever.

And football was family. But then I was thinking about, you know, football is family. What if football actually replaced family? So football is family. Like, that's it. Well, I mean, it kind of became family tonight. Well, we were all at the Rams game together with our families in the same section. Dan was with his in-laws because he's hit a double header at SoFi on a Thursday and a Tuesday night.

But Mark with his family, me with mine and you with your in-laws. I mean, that is football, just bringing us together, the pigskin, pretty good. I was just asked, though, like, I mean, I'm old school. I come from the Unsolved Mysteries world where, you know, Daddy has two families. What about my second family? They weren't there. Do they feel left out? I was wondering, I was looking around because I didn't realize that now I bookended this never-ending week of NFL action.

I was at the first game and the last game at SoFi Stadium. And I was looking around for you, Mark, in your second family. You're like six foot one Amazon blonde wife and your triplets that you have with that family, in addition to your beautiful family with Simone and the two boys that we shot tonight. Well, no, it's not taking away from the primary unit, that conglomerate. But the second family, they were in the 500 section. So I had to, like, at one point, if you saw me not around, I had to, I had to maneuver to the other side of the state.

They can't be close together. So you've got, it's a lot of maneuvering, Dan. Well, you were a hero dad here. There's a great dad move. Colton and Simone had to come a little later, but you got some quality time, just Luke early. And I could feel like this inner turmoil with Mark, because on this podcast, he's given the Rams the business sometimes over the years.

And here we are enjoying a Rams game. some seats, and, you know, kind of as NFL employees, we got to go there. And you could feel the turmoil. I wasn't feeling any turmoil. It was just a nice night with the family. We had some football. Mark seemed to be feeling like he had been owned by a corporation. The Rams of won. I think both of my children, in this primary unit family, family one, these two boys are Rams fans. I cannot speak to the triplets, birth of the giantess. That, that, You know, in the world of organized crime, Friday nights are for the Gumar, Saturday nights for the wife, for Mark, you know, Monday nights are for the 500 club, Sunday nights are for what club seats? I don't know. You tell me. For the giantess. I will tell you, probably not on this show. I will tell you. She's so much taller than you, by the way. It's legitimately off-putting when I see you together. You go up to her armpit. Beautiful woman. That was, that's something that she was, that's something that she,

was very she found very appealing so what what am i supposed to tell you all right so you know it is a long week it is christmas week so we're going to try to move through the last four games with some level of urgency but we're also going to hit the games the way you deserve the listener so we're going to hit the two monday night games including mark the browns i'm sorry and then uh the two tuesday night games and finally we'll put a bow on week 15 so let's start with the game we were at tonight in Hollywood Park in Englewood, California. Whose house is it?

Rams House? Where he looks initially, gets through it, drives the ball down the right scene. Cooper Cup has to catch. Middle of field, that's a 10, 5. Touchdown. L.A. Cooper Cup with his second touchdown of the second half,

and the Rams are back on the high side. Cooper Cup was added again for the Los Angeles Rams. The wide receiver caught nine more passes for 136 yards and both Matthew Stafford's touchdown passes and a 20 to 10 win by the home team over the Seattle Seahawks. Bye-bye Seattle Seahawks. It's over for you. You're five and nine mark. I mean, you've had many takes that have gone sideways in recent weeks. But this one, I know, was one that you wanted to get right.

You've got this one right because the Seahawks aren't coming back and fitting to this season mark for Seattle. where really, I mean, you can even go before Russell Wilson's finger injury, but really certainly after it when he came back, things were never right. And this was another game where the Rams defense dictated the flow of the game. They got after Russell Wilson. Wilson missed on some throws. And at the end of the day, Seattle scoring 10 points in a must-win game tells the story of their season. They were punchless.

And I'll take any contest at this point where you go in thinking something will happen and it actually happens. This was not the Rams victory from a couple of weeks ago where we're thinking like this is the Super Bowl streamer. It's like they are what they are. And like they took care of business tonight. I know at one point sitting behind Greg who is he pulled his little notebook out and he's taking notes about the game.

And Luke my child asked me like, why aren't you taking notes, daddy? And it's like I'm just not the same level. of professional. Why isn't that man in the green jacket living in the moment, Daddy? Right, right. That's so not true. Give me a break living in the moment. That actually did happen. He's like, why? Because my, you know, my

child is very into what Dan and Greg are doing. It's like, why is Greg taking notes? I like to. Everyone's got its own, everyone's got their own thing. What Mark likes is every time I turn around during the game, he just likes to say I have no idea what's happened in this game. I'm watching my

children. I'm not sure exactly what's happened. I'm like, you've got the general idea. You know, there's only six points in the first half that Dan summed it up nicely. I did start watching, or started thinking in the second half of this game, like how much

could more could a receiver do to try to win an MVP than Cooper Cup is doing right now? Like the two throws that... Are you going there? The two throws that Cup caught down the field It wasn't like he won on those two routes. He just won and had the confidence of Stafford that he was going to go make a play.

And that's great. Like we've seen receivers like that, but they're also using them in so many different ways, like in the screen game in every sort of way possible. And the numbers are just outrageous. I think I would have a hard time doing it, but it is a weird year where quarterbacks haven't totally been as good as they normally are. And like this game, like they don't win this game without Cooper Cup. They looked a little sluggish.

They didn't practice much because of all their COVID issues. I think we think because most of these guys are back. They were still missing four or five stars. Everything's fine. I don't know. The play was a little sloppy in general across the NFL offensively this week. And certainly the Rams had these penalties and mental mistakes. But they got over it in large part because they have Cooper Cup on their team and no one else does.

Yeah, we're not here to carry any water for the league. I mean, you got to call it like it is. And COVID is rampaging through the sport right now. And just the nature of this new variant, you're just seeing it every day, name after name after name. And yes, some of these guys are asymptomatic. Some of these guys are able to get clear before kickoff. But you're taking people out of practice. You're taking teams out of routines.

And I think it is causing, I think, the last two days, there was not a lot of good football in terms of what you see. It's a Tuesday afternoon game at 4 p.m. You know, which the whole thing just, how could it not feel weird? It was weird. It absolutely was, and the Rams placed up to 29 players on the reserve COVID-19 list over the past 10 days. They played without three starters. Now, Seattle's missing some starters too, including Tyler Lockett, who I think was badly missed. But I want to point out, to me, the play of the game, and it really spoke to so much of what has kind of haunted the Seahawks and what's now a lost season.

and it is 17 to 10. The Seahawks had a 10-3 lead early in the second half. The Rams evened it up on a cup touchdown. They go ahead on another cup touchdown, but Seattle has a chance to draw even. And on a third and 14 at the Seattle 38 was 756 to go in the fourth quarter. Russell drops back to pass.

He gets protection, which was not a case throughout the game. And he has D.K. Metcalfe, who has Jalen, he has Jalen Ramsey beat by a few steps. And you guys, you were there in the stadium, too. We're in the same section. That is a touchdown. I don't know if it's Russell Wilson's finger. I don't know if Russell Wilson's just having a bad year.

I don't know what it is. But he hangs up. And we all know our old producer TD famously said Russell Wilson throws a sexy deep ball. If he puts a little more into it and leads his receiver, it's 1717 at the midpoint of the fourth quarter. And the Seahawks are in business. and instead he hangs the ball up. Now, that's a tough throw, but that's a throw that Russell Wilson has made a thousand times.

It's the type of throw that's going to put him in the Hall of Fame one day. And I just thought that made me think. He hung it up and allowed Ramsey to get back into the play, knock it away. They punted it, and that was the closest they ever came. That really stood out to me. I agree. He missed Lockett. Lockett's been the true one, not Metcalfe, you know, since Russell Wilson came back,

but really throughout the course of this season, Mecalf gets 12 targets tonight, a lot of them in garbage time and not a lot of production. There is a part of me that just thinks, no matter how hard Russell Wilson threw that ball, that Jalen Ramsey will somehow just like sprint and catch up with it. Because I spent the game watching that matchup, just watching Jalen Ramsey, basically every snap.

I felt like I was missing a lot of like nine-yard Rashad Penny runs. But there was Jalen Ramsey on D.K. Meckoff, I would say about two-thirds, three-quarters of this. snap someone with stats will prove me wrong but just watching it that's what it felt like and my god like his like closing speed and his ability to kind of guess what metcalf was what was going to do is like dkopf is not the type of route runner that's going to give jalen ramsie problems in general maybe he was beat on that play maybe he wasn't going to catch up in general but that was watching a guy jelan ramsie just like at his absolute peak pretty much dominating another great player and then

and then to your point dan that one play 22 on that one Yeah, no, no, no, you're right. He had him beat. Because it's a different game, and it's a different story around Jalen Ramsey. Right, that's one play, though. In general, like, they're trying to sell these inside moves and stuff. He's not biting in his closing speed. It was just, it's just crazy this team has the best receiver in the league,

the best cornerback, and the best defensive tackle all in the same team. I think also another story for the Rams, like Sony Michelle games in a row now has dominated carries and been good for them. And tonight it wasn't, you know, he wasn't the story of the game, but it's like they've found something on the ground in Sony Michelle, which was, you know, not someone they knew would come in and dominate. He's been a big part of with their offense,

and it gives them some balance. All right. So there you go. And yes, the Seahawks, it's pretty much a wrap now. That is their ninth loss. So any chance to get back to the playoffs, they'd have to win out and some crazy stuff.

Rams have a chance here to get up to like, I mean, they could get really high, but they're tied with the Cardinals and the division. division. They don't have the tie break now, but the Cardinals have a tough schedule. So do the Rams the next three weeks, but they can go win that division. Are there any, like, I know we'll go through the other games quicker, but were there any kind of like experiences at the game mark that stand out to you in this one? Or any like game experience? I'll point out one. When Jim Everett, as they were trying to snap the ball, they were already coming back from

commercial and believe it's Kirsten Watson. who is doing the in-game. She works with Henry. You guys met her the other day. She's like trying to take the microphone back from Jim Everett because the game is about to start. And Everett is like grabbing the microphone being like, I've always wanted to do this. Whose house? And I'm just thinking like, are they already back on Fox like waiting for this delaying the game?

I enjoyed that. I was enjoying it. I was getting some Susie Colber vibes off the whole thing. And I'll leave it at that. It's a, it is very interesting. again, having gone to the Thursday game against the cheese where it was Chargers their set up and then

going Tuesday for the Rams game their setup, it's a very different very different fan experience and I think that's by design. I think the Rams and Chargers I mean just the Rams Flex in general their whole slogan is whose house is this

it's the Rams house. That is a very pointed I think very pointed not just to get the fans pumped up but hey Chargers you live in our house that's that that's kind of fun i like the heat you sense between the rams and chargers whether it's the billboards or how things are presented it's fun and it's a beautiful stadium it really was that was a lot of fun i think they grabbed that slogan um early and with authority and that was good for them i mean i my my one note would be that this was the first time

that i took my two boys to any NFL game and you you had that experience um both of you in previous times it's just like uh that was pretty crazy and that's why i think i'm a little bit in a another world right now because they they it it really really affected them and they loved it they were having a blast they were having a great time and they gave all all children or i guess adults do i didn't grasp on to mine but they gave all um humans like little flags to wave if you wanted to wave them and i gave mine to i mean our children had all all the flags and like they loved that so but i'm a mess like i'm a mess i had a great night And, like, honestly, I don't really care that much about anything.

It's like after what happened with the Browns game, which we'll get into, it's like I need football to equal something positive, something at all that has meaning. And tonight did. So I really appreciate that we got to go to that game. Wow, that was emotional. Perhaps, Mark, you're waving the white flag on your issues with the Los Angeles Rams as a football organization. I have put my issues with them, which were largely, you know, tied. Oh, I can pull up some text.

right now so let's be careful but i have put them in the past so it's like you know when sometimes like when hulk hogan and randy macho man savage back in like 87 did that handshake in the middle of the ring and everyone could feel it maybe that's what's happened maybe that's what's going on right now maybe mark all right let's head all right well whatever let's head i can sign off too if you two want to have a real conversation about no we need to have you on for the brats caucus we're heading to cleveland next okay what's up everybody daniel jeremiah here and i'm bucky brooks on move the sticks we take you inside the game from scouting reports and player development to team building philosophies coaching trends and how front offices construct winning rosters every week we study the tape talk to decision makers and share the insights you won't find anywhere else is the kind of conversation that connects the dots from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow we break down the draft analyze matchups and evaluate how you teams put it all together on game day.

Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction, and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you.

Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Matt Jones. Now, I'm Drew Franklin. And this is NFL Cover Zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel?

That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my. We think NFL coverage should be informative and entertaining. And twice a week, that is exactly what you're going to get. Listen to NFL Cover Zero with Matt Jones and Drew Franklin on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcast. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more.

I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your approach. opponents. Listen to the NFL fantasy football podcast on the IHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. This will be a 48-yarder for the win. Dead on. Yes. The Raider side line explodes. I give a jackpot partner. Jackpot. Hey, Musburger. Come on, bud. I know. Listen, we're all tired. But that's a big win for the team that you cover. And Lincoln Kennedy is telling you to hit the jackpot in a big spot because Daniel Carlson stepped up. That guy's a good ass kicker.

Drills the 48-yarder at the gun, allowing the Raiders to escape. And I stress the word escape the dog pound with a 16 to 14 win a game. Speaking of COVID-19, obviously played a big role here. It's why the game was moved to Tuesday. It's why Nick Mullins was the starting quarterback for the Browns. It's why Jarvis Landry wasn't anywhere near the field. It's why so many players were out. And yet, Mark Sessler, Cleveland really did put together a strong effort here,

especially on defense. Mullins, I thought, played well. He played within himself. But ultimately, when they needed to get one more stop and they were missing yet another player, Miles Garrett was banged up with a groin injury, they couldn't get that last defensive stop. And Derek Card, he deserves his credit for getting that team set up for the game winner. Yeah, and I think the stop came after a Browns drive that I think fairly has received some criticism

where they ran the ball three times in a row. I get what's happening. Like, you don't have Kevin Stefansky there. Alex Van Pelt is in their calling plays. And he's not going to go, you know, Uber creative or create some sort of controversial type call. I think that's, you know, a little bit of a factor. but the Browns on that drive, I thought, were a little conservative when they had a chance with Nick Mullins, who was warming up at that point.

This was a, you know, I know they lost. It was a courageous performance by the Browns, and I don't say that in a cheesy way. I just think that they, with all the stuff stacked against them, like, it had the feel to me as a, you know, 40-year Browns fan of a game that they were going to win. I really felt that up until the very end. You tweeted it out when they were down.

like, I can't remember what the score was. Was it 10-0 at the time you tweeted that out? Something like that or 14. I believe that we will win. 13-0. I felt it. It was like 13-3 and you were like the Browns are winning this game. You're right.

You're absolutely right. I felt it and like it didn't happen. It obviously pivots Cleveland season to such drastic measures because they would have been leading the division. Not that they deserve to, but not that they deserve to be last in the division either because I think they're plucky. I think they have fight. You know, you look at who they did not have in this game.

I thought the defense for weeks in a row has carried them, and it carried them in this game too. I thought, you know, if you look at the first quarter plus, you would have thought that maybe Derek Carr and the Raiders would have just taking control of this game and won it 26 to 10 or something. They were moving the ball well. But Cleveland's defense heated up. Nick Mullins heated up.

They just didn't have enough guys. They just don't have enough dudes, like, on the field. Like enough stuff happened to counter their apparent attempts to win this game. It broke my heart. I think this is a Browns game that hurt me more than the Chiefs lost last year in the playoffs, than many, many losses this season that have been frustrating. It just was like the quintessential attempt at all the odds stacked against you. You've got a chance.

They had a chance. I thought they made the most of it. You don't have your head coach on the field. How many times can that happen to Cleveland? That's twice in the last, you know, seven calendar months, 12, whatever. And I, you know what? I left a little broken. And then it was like, now sit down and watch the Bears and Vikings.

Please. I honestly, it kind of slapped me over the head and said the season is over. But actually, and you know, it was Greg who sent us a text in the minutes after this game that said, I see a fight in this. team this brown's team i'm not sure the season's over and i kind of take something from that because the a fc's so weird it's so convoluted it's so beguiling that who knows will happen over the next three weeks i don't count them out yet but i'm not pleased with what happened with what occurred yesterday i'm not sure the better team won on any level this raider's team

is a floating ship of course you can't count the browns out because just like you said if they won yesterday they would have been in first place and they lost so they're in last place so that division is so wide open even by you know these people say that all the time oh it's a wide open division no the a vc north is a wide open division so that is far from over um you know the browns have been such an up and down operation all season uh that i think in a weird way putting their back against the wall with all these injuries made them more likable and made them kind of back they're kind of back in that underdog corner which i think mark you were you and so many other Browns fell in love with this Baker Mayfield Browns team.

Well, I prefer that spot for sure. Absolutely. So you were back in that corner. Now, I'll say this because I think the, um, the Raiders on this podcast were counted out by a certain host after last week. And here's the thing. I'll give the Raiders credit for winning this game. But I think the only way the Raiders are seven and seven right now is an act of God. And let's count, I don't know who's God, but let's count this COVID-19 variant as that act of God because I think the Raiders are still ready to go home at 7 and 7

but they just happened to find a team that was so beat up that they were allowed to hang in that game and credit to Derek Carr who looked like he had thrown the season away with the interception he gets another chance takes him down the field I thought here's the thing the Browns yes they played a strategic brand of football on their last drive they said we're going to kill the clock as much as we can

we're going to get rid of the timeouts it's a basic game plan that we've been hearing forever that maybe is not as popular anymore. The only reason I disagreed with it, Greg, was the Nick Mullen's, I know he was just on the practice squad and has barely played in a year, but he was so smart the way he played and he wasn't taking crazy risks. And I kind of trusted him in that spot to either make the play or not make a hideous mistake. And they just didn't give him the shot there.

I would have liked to seen it, but I also didn't have a problem with the play because it was third and three because they had gained seven yards on the on the last two runs you know like and they were giving it to their best player if it was third and six they would have thrown it it is a shame because nick mullins is the master of the four to five yard throw i mean that's what he did the whole night he played within himself you you said it you know until he really needed to play out like on that fourth down like he had a really clean nice game and yeah if you had done some sort of play action or something where he has a couple of options quick i would have trusted him to do it. But the reason they got back in that game wasn't Nick Mullins. It was

Nick Chubb going over left tackle where Joel Betonio was playing out of position on those sweeps and stuff. Those were the big plays. And so they went back to what had been working and what got them seven yards on the two previous play. So I didn't have a huge problem. I just think it didn't work on that play. And that was so unfortunate because at that point when they intercepted the ball and in Mark's first words, he said to me at the The Rams game today were just like, I'm broken. I don't know if I can get back to football after yesterday. I felt so bad, so sad.

But I get it because it was an inspiring game. The Raiders did not deserve to win it. They went out of their way to freaking gag it. I mean, that game should have been over so many times earlier. Car fumbles, you know, is a good play. J.O.K. has been amazing for Cleveland. Thank you for saying that. What a player.

I've been meaning to say, like, he is a home. run draft pick but they they're dropping it mostly wasn't car but they're dropping passes they're making all these mistakes and then and he fumbles the ball they give up the lead to mullins then he throws the interception and you only have to get one first down to win at that place at that point cleveland was on fire like shook was killing himself that he didn't go to that game down the street uh and then a few minutes later he was like yep that's why i didn't go i i appreciate you're saying that like i i like j okay number one i think is um i know he missed some games and that kind of took some of the heat off of his uh you know cue rating but like what a player he's been um i i this

game hurt me to the point where today is not is totally surreal what happened after is totally surreal it's like how quickly can i get an uber that i order to drive off the i 10 where is the female assassin like it's over like you feel here's the thing everyone's Here's the thing. They play the... The AFC North schedule, and it's like, I don't want to hear about it. Like, I don't care. All they got to do is go win their last two games in the north, which is what?

Steelers, Steelers Bengals? They are a team. Even if they lose to the Packers, if they win those... Even if they lose to the Packers this week, if they win those two division games, I think it's doable. I think they've shown some fight these last two weeks. They do a fight. They do a fight, but that's just simply to set me up to get pulled back in because I already know everyone's like, they're going to get romped by the Packers.

They'll probably beat the Packers. And then I will be so far pulled back into this anti-matrix. Just hit me with a bow and arrow. So can we just, Mark, and we all, and I know the listeners do appreciate your fandom and how passionate you are and how you live and die, typically die with the Browns. But can we just dispense with the charade in future seasons

about when you go through those things where you don't care about the team anymore and you don't really, it doesn't matter? Because you've been down on this team all year and now you're saying your life is basically up in flames because they lost last night to fall to 7 and 7. And I'm saying I'm all for your passion. I'm just saying this is one of the most important things

in your life this football team. We know it. You don't have to tell us that it's not true because we know it and we hear it in your voice right now. It is. It is important to me. I have multiple defense mechanisms up, obviously. They're a charade to you who live.

listens to this but to me they aren't like they do well they could that was oh see now now we're getting to it they could they had been up and they came all like they came all the way down for that mullins game like when they entered especially by the time they intercepted that pass and had the ball they were down the walls had been on fire and then suddenly the enemy well that game hurt me because like the idea that nick mullins who i've always kind of loved nick mullins to be honest um the idea that he would pull it off and he came so close it almost became

one of my favorite Brown's wins of all time. Like I'm talking top three, top four, top five and it turned into Satan's baby inside of my mouth. Ew. Gross. All right, we better stop talking about this game.

It's getting a little weird. Raiders get Drew Locke this week. They're not out of it yet. Guess what? They're probably going to lose. And the Browns, yeah, they'll probably lose at Green Bay on Christmas. Probably, but you never know in the season. I don't even know who's going to be playing.

Don Matikowsky could be quarterback for the Packers by Christmas. Who knows? So don't assume anything. But yes, Greg is right. They have two division games against teams that are no better or no worse than them, the Browns, to wrap the season. I thought it was so sweet, Mark, when Greg complimented your rookie linebacker and you went, thank you for saying that.

because you know what no Greg and I have talked about that previous but it's just like I don't know anybody else that would respond to a football compliment a like that like it was personally like someone had complimented you about something you had done well it matters to me that Greg sees what I feel I've been seen and like we've talked about that's good JOK before and we agree great okay let's let's take a break and we're going to bring in a special guest to talk Eagles Washington what's up everybody Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Sticks, we take you inside the game from Scouting Reports and Player Development to team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. Every week, we study the tape, talk to decision makers, and share the insights you won't find anywhere else. It's the kind of conversation that connects the dots, from college football prospects to the NFL stars of tomorrow. We break down the draft, analyze matchups, and evaluate how teams put it all together on Game Day. Plus, we dig in the coaching strategies, roster construction,

and the trends that shape the league year after year. Whether you're a diehard fan or just love understanding the game on a deeper level, we give you the full picture. If you want insight that goes beyond the box score, this podcast is for you. Don't miss it. Listen to the Move the Six podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Hey, this is Matt Jones.

Now I'm Drew Franklin. And this. is NFL cover zero. We're just here to try to give you an NFL perspective a little bit different. Did you see the Colts Pretzel? That was my other big takeaway from that game. What was that? Oh, my.

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And I'm Michael F. Florio, and together we host the NFL Fantasy Football Podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL Fantasy Football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the

insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL Fantasy football podcast on the iHeart radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts. Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL. Visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. And there he is. You know who he is. Well, you don't, because I haven't announced it yet.

But maybe when the podcast is out, you're going to see it in the little summary. Maybe Ricky gives him the headline, the name of the show. Maybe he's in that. I think he deserves it because I think he's a big deal. He is the great John Gonzalez. Gonzo, what's up, baby? Gentlemen, good to see you. What's up, man?

How are you? You performed. We are relying on you so much for this Eagles, Washington, you know, game here. Because, you know, we were at another game. So you could tell us anything happened. The dictionary definition of out of pocket for Washington Eagles. So let's hit the highlight and get. into it with Gonzo, the native

Philadelphia. Hurts again is rolling. He's looking. He is firing. It is caught. Touchdown. He got it to Greg Ward who spun around and brought it to his chest. Ah, the great

Merrill Reese with the call. Jalen Hertz is back in the lineup and he said Gardner means you. That's a nice story. But I'm that guy. I'm that kid. He ran for two touchdowns through for another. Eagles come from behind to beat the COVID-19 ravaged Washington football teams.

27 to 17. Eagles moved to 7 and 7. They are alive and well in the playoff race. Washington now fading at 6 and 8. Gonzo, you watch this from Gonzalo's Manor with perhaps your lovely wife, Connie Fox, the tiny box. What were your takeaways from this thing? I think any time you can beat a quarterback that I have.

hadn't heard of before he started on a Tuesday, great NFC East win, really, really up there with all of the other Tuesday night games that they've played. The last time they played a Tuesday night game, Rosie tweeted at me about this. They lost to Joe Webb after a blizzard, and the then governor, Governor Rendell had called everybody Wusses for not playing the game, which then launched a book called Nation of Wusses. So this Tuesday night game, greater than symbol, that Tuesday night game. This was better. This was better than the night when Michael Vick's MVP dreams went to die.

Come on, your Eagles are seven and seven. This is a frisky little outfit here, Gonzo. Philly's got to be getting behind this team. Where are you at? Is it a frisky outfit? Oh, absolutely. What was their record? They were like two and five, and now they're seven and seven,

and they're maybe the best running team in the league. You would think that's a team that the Eagles could get behind. that Philly could get behind. I'm, so something that I've learned through years of watching this team is never believe, like it's, with the exception of the year that they won the Super Bowl and we were all there, never believed. And specifically, like you said, they're a frisky team. Who have they beaten that's any good?

The Saints is their best win. And if they, they could end up with 10 wins this season because they've got, you know, the three division games left. And there's a chance that, who knows, the Cowboys. sit their starters in that last game. But they'll have 10 wins, nine of which are largely hollow, and then the other one is the Saints. So I don't know.

I don't know how frisky this. Do you trust them if they make the playoffs? I don't. I'd ask you this. I mean, I'm not sure any team is good in the NFL this season. But secondly, like they did go through a metamorphosis where they said, we're just going to run the ball at everyone. And tonight, again, against this Washington defense that I know they were COVID,

stricken but they did get some guys back along the defensive line before this game Philly still ran for 238 yards it's like we're going to do this every week they did it again it's like you got to give them a little credit for the fact that this is their identity they lean into it and it work it's working. Gonzo, how about a little history? Maybe this will provide some perspective and maybe you will start to get a little more excited about Philly. I think he's just non-plus because he was like watching us talk about the Browns game

Well, I feel like, I think Gonzo and I was like, let's get on with it. He's like, I've got a, I've got something to do. They became the first team with 175 plus yards on the ground and seven consecutive games since, wait for it, the 1985 Chicago Bears. Now, that Bears team was known obviously for its great defense, but obviously they did some things right offensively as well. Now, what you're going to tell me, Gonzo, I guess, is that because the opponents have been so bad, you can't put too much into the running game. but the fact that they impose their will upon opponents week after week, and they have this exciting kid behind center that makes people miss and can throw the ball a little bit too.

I mean, this is more fun than last year's Eagles team, right? I mean, everything's relative. More fun than last year's Eagles team is a low bar. Look, the running game has been fun. You're absolutely right about that. And this is something that early in the season was driving Eagles fans insane because they weren't running the ball as much. and everybody was clamoring for them to run the ball.

And then all of a sudden they start running the ball and they have some success. So that part's to the good. I'm all for that. The part about the exciting kid under center, Dan, you just revealed how not Philadelphia and you are because the jury's still out on that one. And that Gardner Minshew game, nobody, look,

two things that Philadelphia loves, run the ball and the backup quarterback. So as long as there is a backup quarterback existing, somebody somewhere in Philadelphia, and frankly several someone's, lots of someone's, will be clamoring for that guy to be the quarterback. So, yeah, like, Jalen tonight was, he was good. The early, like early in the game,

he made some bad decisions, which he's want to do. There were turnovers that led to those first 10 Washington points. And after that, he settled down and they got going. But also, like I said, they beat a guy who, what was he doing on Thursday before they signed him on Friday? He was on the Patriots practice squad two weeks ago. Vegas, you know, Gary, Garrett Gilbert. But, you know, he doesn't play defense.

They put up 500 yards of offense against a Washington team that's been pretty good. And I know they were missing some players, but they got most of them back, actually. Can you not step on my Gilbert Godfrey callbacks? I appreciate that. No, the Godfrey callback. So, Gonsa, what's the vibe at the house? Are you guys, like, just ain't super, is there a lot of negging going on, a lot of, like, negative energy around the Viking? Or the Eagles?

Or are you excited about what you're doing? Mark's still emotional about the Brown's conversation. I'm trying to find out what the vibe is where you're, I mean, you seem to be coming in from a bit of a, a little bit of a down vibe on the Eagles. You take, you take a win anytime you can get a win. Let's put it this. This season has been consistently results oriented in terms of feelings. So after the Giants loss, they're the worst team in the NFL. They're not going anywhere.

And after the Jets win, sorry, Dan, earmuffs. you know what book your tickets you're coming out to la because maybe this team could go on a run or maybe they're they're frisky like rosy said so at seven and seven it's like it's been every single weekend has been a roller coaster i mean even going back to uh the falcons game which was their their first game of the season which they won and we thought okay maybe there's maybe there's a little something to this team ultimately it's hard for me though to like really believe in the Eagles because there's just been so much conditioning over

the years like with the exception of one year it usually turns out terribly and people should also know it's past 9 p.m. on the West Coast right now so it's John's bedtime as well just about I think so if he seems a little like low key that that plays in as well look

I'm up and energized for you guys I had a full day of doing stuff and working and hanging out with Connie and we appreciate it. Look at this, the nightcap. Yeah, you've got your Sports Illustrated podcast starting soon, don't you? What's going on here?

Mid-January, yeah. I mean, before. So, by the way, Gonzo and I did a cross-country trip from, well, across half the country from L.A. to Houston for a Super Bowl, and he stayed up quite late many of those nights, and we had adventures that we can't speak of here on the show. I love that all of a sudden I'm being painted as old man Gonzo, who I Well, you like to take naps. We've been there.

We've done weekend trips with you. You're a guy that likes to get his 17 hours. Oh, I love a nap. I mean, who doesn't like a nap? A nap is, it can be really rejuvenating. Before we let you go, and this is kind of a more like overarching question. And I feel like it would be a good like profile story, but it's probably already been written. So it doesn't matter.

But you mentioned it that why? Why does Philadelphia love the backup? Why are they always looking past the guy that is probably the guy to the guy that probably isn't the guy, but hypothetically could why, what is the psychology behind that for the city? It's a sickness. We all have it.

We've all caught it. It's a quarterback COVID for us going back to Randall Cunningham with Jim McMahon, right up through basically every backup that was ever a backup for McNabb. I mean, like, the greatest quarterback in franchise history, they wanted to replace him the entire time. I don't know. I don't know what it is. I mean, like, I think it's part of the lack of success.

Like, again, I keep saying this, the one season where they won the Super Bowl, but they won it with the backup quarterback. So maybe we're on to something. Maybe we knew. Maybe it's like a lack of inner self-confidence. I don't know. Maybe. Civic-wide.

Civic-wide. Before you guys cut me loose, though, does Rosie always make those faces as you guys are, as you other two are talking? Oh, yeah, that's the, uh, resting Greg face. Don't read into that. I'm, because I'm making, I'm making conversation with everybody here. And all I see is a pained look on Rosie's face. There's no pain. There's a big, there's a lot of smiles. I also take that personally and like I start to, then I start to rail on it verbally. I think you know why I'm pained is because you're just like dismissing Jalen Hertz as I like go over and look and look so oh Rager had a 34 yarder I haven't watched this game yet Devante Smith 28 Goddard has 45 7 for 135 like I always wanted to watch an athletic quarterback like Jalen Hertz is one of the best running quarterbacks in the NFL and he's a second year starter like a second round pick like what more what more do these people want and you get all excited about Garder Minchin's 40. You get all excited about Gardner Mintz who floating a couple seven-yard passes that people run with after the catch.

Point being gone, so you cannot win. Greg is coming at you with a minor nuclear bomb that's going to land right in the middle of your head. Dallas got it looked good. Jalen Hertz made a couple of really nice throws, one of which was to Greg Ward. I honestly, I was like, my God, I forgot about Greg Ward. He's still on the team for a touchdown. So that was good. Are you happy now that he's saying these things, Greg?

Does this make you happy? Will you sleep better tonight? But Greg, I'm honestly of like Philadelphia, Philadelphians who have watched every Eagles game this year, despite the way that you're interpreting this. I'm probably higher on Jalen Hertz than most. So that tells you where everybody else is. All right.

John Gonzalez. They're proving grunts and noises from him. You can find him now, formally of the ringer. now he's over at s i he's got a podcast that's coming out he's a storyteller make sure you follow him on twitter at john gonzalez yeah you know who it is it's gonzo john ronald gonzalez born march 12th 1977 is an american sports writer who's married nfl media broadcaster collie wolf john who's a pisces resides in los angeles with his wife and two dogs i also like i look forward to my mentions being full of that tomorrow that bit still won't die so thank you

and i also we all want to thank you in a time where you never feel like you could trust anything anymore things are always changing underneath our feet we never have to change that drop it always all the bio information is exactly the same as it was five years ago no it's precise we should actually we should add that he got the j and j shot because we are brothers and the j and j j and j and j and i feel like that's like the next the next most defining aspect of gonzos life as far as i'm concerned uh it's it's depressingly true dan none of the information has changed you're right Yeah, we like this. Everything's exactly the same.

All right, buddy, thank you for staying up and doing this with us. We really did need the help and you delivered it. Buddy, we'll see you soon. All right, I love you guys. See it. There goes, Johnny. Johnny Gonzalez, love that guy. We have one more game to hit.

It wasn't the best game of the week. In fact, it might have been the worst game of the year on the primetime slate. Ah, we're going to do it anyway. Hit it, Ricky. Kirk, pass it, fake, JJ, end zone, caught touchdown. Justin Jefferson, back left to the end zone. It's a 12-yard touchdown. It's number eight this season for JJ.

Man, Paul Allen, he can make anything sing, even that game. 17-9, the Vikings won to keep their postseason hopes alive. Greg and I locked it up. That's a good job by us. But it was a game. First of all, the Bears, just a total mess. Five personal fouls, including one by the head coach. I could have swore, but from late in the second quarter,

I thought that Matt Nagy was leaving that stadium in handcuffs. I was certain he was going to inflict bodily harm on someone and run a foul of the law. That did not happen, at least not that I know of. But ultimately, the Bears as an operation, are just, as Mark would call them, perhaps a floating corpse. So they are now four in ten, and they are just waiting to get to the finish line. Now, the Vikings, Greg, this theme's interesting every week,

except for this week when they played the Bears. So the Bears obviously have some type of magical power. I thought taken out of this game is someone who is kind of rooted for the Vikings and has enjoyed the Vikings this season, it was a little disturbing for Kirk Cousins to have a second dog game in a row in December and finished with 87 yards passing a career low against the Chicago defense missing so many players that they were calling up guys from the practice squad to play defense.

Their entire defensive backfield was on the COVID list or injured. And yet cousins could do nothing and it doesn't seem to bode well for the Vikings' offense. Or am I putting too much into it because the Vikings week to week completely reboot themselves? Right. Like next week they have the Rams who are going to be on a short week and you can almost see cousins, it'll be indoors, you know, throwing for 3.30 again.

And yet I can't. Like this last month, it's really, if you look at his season, it peaked about mid-season. And personally, he's been a little on the decline since. But this was outrageous. He dropped back to past 28 times. They averaged 2.2 yards per play. And like Zimmer had no confidence in him by the end of the game, but who could blame him?

And what did it matter? because his defense wasn't giving up any points. It was just kind of crazy. It was partly his interior offensive line, which has been a problem all year. It's partly Adam Thieland being out. But he just gets in those modes. Like when he threw the ball out of bounds on the Hail Mary

to end the first half because he didn't want to mess up his touchdown interception ratio, I thought like that's why people don't like Kirk Cousins, that play. Because that's what he did. He didn't want to mess up the TD Interception. I don't throw it out about that purpose. Oh, 100%.

You know who's tweeting all about that? Former quarterbacks. Former quarterbacks are the ones saying that like Nate Tyson's, everyone's saying that. The real move there when quarterbacks don't want to do that. And like Tom Brady would do the same thing on some level, too. I believe that is you throw underneath. Sure, but he's great to back it up. Right.

You throw underneath and then they get, you know, 41 yards and get tackled at the 14 and the half's over anyway. So the defense doesn't care. That would have been the move. if he was really looking out for his stats. Yeah, I don't know. That's, yeah, I like it. I like the theory, though. You're probably right now.

One play over 10 yards in the whole game by their passing you. I don't know. Like, I know, I know that, you know, the bears are a thing of the past at this point, and we don't need to focus too much on them. But like you said, Dan, to have your entire secondary wiped away by COVID. I mean, this team was, all of all of these games happened because these teams were wiped out by the coronavirus. slash Omnocron. I get it. But, I mean, the Bears defense, I thought, put forward, like, they put forth an incredible effort in this game. They really did. I mean, it's like Akeem Hicks

was all over the place. I mean, just, it's lost in the shuffle. But their offense finished the game with three drives that ended on downs. I mean, they had a terrible misfield goal in this game. They had a terrible fumble by the quarterback. I mean, they had a couple of turnovers all over the place it's like they allowed the vikings just to continue to pound on them when had they gotten a even vaguely uh vaguely confident performance by the offense they would have been fine with what the defense they moved the ball most of the game they had 370 yards they didn't score they didn't score i don't care it's like that's fine yard is just fine no but they moved the ball but it was like and you know their their coaching staff also impacted so

matt naggie is calling the plays again bill laser is out of the picture and yeah they They out through, in terms of passing, 255 to 61. They out gained Minnesota 370 to 193. And they just had so many mistakes and some bad luck with certain things, getting feet down in the end zone, bibles, things like that. But when you just add it all together, the whole stew, you know, there are like 50,000 Bears fans that went to that game. And they were just subjected to just continual disappointment,

possession after possession. So, yeah, the bears are a mess. The Vikings are the relevant team here. But I just think as I just don't know how much longer the Vikings will be relevant. Because I don't know if I buy cousins snapping out of this slump. This has been going on for a while now. It's been a little bit under the radar because he keeps throwing two touchdowns every game. And so that keeps fantasy owners satisfied and they're winning more than they're losing the last month or two.

but they are not the same offense and he is not the same quarterback. And I think that to me, as simplified as it may seem, was the big thing that jumped out to me. No, you're absolutely right. Neither one of these teams matter. Like, I'm not. No, the Vikings have been very entertaining and interesting. I think they could snap back.

It would be very typical of them. They have the Rams and the Packers the next two weeks to at least win one of those. I could see it. But get to week 18 with like a little bit of hope and then lose to the Bears in the rematch. That feels like the way this descends. These are two teams that are part of our previous existence. They do not exist right now.

Get them, Mark. Get them, buddy. I'm forking both of them. They're both out. I mean, we already forked the Bears back in September. This could have been the greatest game of all time. I'm forking the Vikings right now. Coming after that Brown's game, these teams were both.

They had the bullseye on them at Sessler Nation. This was the worst prime time game, I think. of the season. I think you caught it right, Dan. I had a weird memory. Back in like 2005 or 2006, when I lived in L.A., knew nobody, fell into relations with this one young Starlet-type girl that was, forget about it.

I mean, and then it went to... What did mean? She was a successful actress? Had that vibe to her, I'm just saying back then. And the whole thing ended, and it was a two or three-week scenario that ended in a bar fight in Culver City and I'm just going to leave it right there but like I spent the next two weeks

you know it's the football season I'm watching football and it was just like nothing had any meaning and that's how I felt about this Vikings Bears game watching it had zero meaning my heart had been broken earlier in the day Ricky can you jump in a second nothing mattered on any level

what's going on with Mark nothing mattered I was I feel like we should probably just wrap the show. I'm just saying, don't try to come at me. Yeah. The Bears Vikings game that is, I think one of the worst.

No, you're right. We don't need to spend a lot of time on this. There's a lot more important stuff, like Starlets leaving you at a bar fight and stuff. There's a lot that we need to unpack as like a family here. So I feel like we should just like hit the outro music. Ricky is just like, we got to end this. This is already 27 minutes longer than I thought.

We got to play into Gatch in the morning. And I'm getting up at 3.40. So I'm getting up in like six out, four hours. More games, 60 minutes. That's how we do it. Football's family. All right. So week 15 is in the rear view.

Mark's going to be okay. I know some people might be alarmed a little bit. Yeah, he's fine. Today's show he's going to be fine. And he's got three games left with his Cleveland Browns. And they have a chance still to win a division, make some noise. They're not like the Vikings or the bears. They're not dead.

They're alive. He'll tell you that. I won't tell you anything Just wait for Christmas morning when Mr. Sessler unraps a Browns game with his family. Good luck.

Let's go Browns. We are all squirrel inside. We're all Browns fans. Did you really need to put the Browns on Christmas, Raj? Yeah, he has to think about We got to pick up the boys, guys. We got to take them.

He's got to think of your employees. Come on, Rog. Think of Mark. Anyway, so this is our obviously functions as our, It's a little different than a regular Tuesday episode, but that's what it is. Thursday, you'll get the preview of week 16, and then we'll be back Sunday night, which is the day after Christmas, recapping everything in week 16.

And let's just cross our fingers because things just seem to get worse and worse because this virus is just so contagious that I just don't know. I worry, knock on wood here, I worry how we're going to finish this season, even with the different protocols. Hopefully things get calmed down and we get a normal week of football next week. But there's a lot of indecision in the world. But we can tell you, or a lot of things that we don't know right now, we can tell you we will be here. There could be 16 games next week. There could be zero games next week. The around the NFL podcast will be here for you. Unless, you know, other things dictate that we're not here. It's all up in the air. We will be here. I can't imagine. Yeah.

tell us hit the street hit the bricks all right that's it i am sorry for us stepping on the godfrey joke you know um it's a bad habit of mine personal growth i want to improve on that but it ruined what could have been a great a great callback to be honest with you if uh if we went back to the replay i might have kind of come in off the turn buckle on it and maybe what i wanted you to do It was like step out of the way. So the Gopry elbow drop could land. So that's not something you have to do either. So it was just maybe one of those things where we both could have been a little bit more delicate with it.

And we just were used to being in the studio. We're used to being together in the studio by now. We're back to like working out the kinks. Look at you too. How cute this is. So who's the starlet? Kirsten Dunst, a young Dominique Swain. Who are we talking here?

No, no. I mean, there was no actual, you know, professional attachment to that. No, but like if you had to compare her to someone, like Molly Ringwald, Christina Richie. A Molly Ringwald? Throwing names out. Acharo? We got to go. We got to go.

Bridget Bardot, maybe. A young Bardot. Yeah. Wait, no, Mark, who was that actress from your time? My time. She was really big in. Betty Davis You know, in like the 20s

In the 20s What does that mean? What are you? Oh yeah, she was She was good When they made the transition To the talkies, right? Yeah, yeah, yeah

When they went silent film To color, not color No, God, no Not color, but when they, yeah Yeah Right, that's who you were really into as a kid This is Eric's way of saying Your old Mark, but I think you look great for your age

Well, that's fine. I'm not, I won't respond All right, we are going now I get what you're trying to do. Bye. Dan Hanzas signing up for Quiet Storm, The Old Boss, Gonso, Ricky Hollywood, till Thursday. Heat the car. I'm going to be able to be.

I'm Marcus Grant. And I'm Michael Fiorio, and together we host the NFL fantasy football podcast. Ready to dominate your fantasy league this season? Then you need the NFL fantasy football podcast, your ultimate source for player news, draft tips, and winning strategies. Whether you're a rookie manager or a fantasy vet. We've got the insight to help you crush your opponents. Listen to the NFL. Fantasy Football Podcast on the IHeart Radio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podcasts.

Toyota, the official automotive partner of the NFL, visit Toyota.com slash NFL now to learn more. Hey, everybody, Daniel Jeremiah here. And I'm Bucky Brooks. On Move the Six, we take you inside the game from breaking down college prospects and NFL rookies to evaluating team building philosophies, coaching trends, and how front offices construct winning rosters. We study the tape. Talk to decision makers and give you a perspective you won't find anywhere else. It's everything you need to understand the why behind what happens on Sunday.

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